TOPIC: any move-overs close on Christmas-New Years?

I ran across a single screen move-over theater near Kalamazoo, MI that just changed hands and the news article mentioned that they are closing for two weeks starting Dec. 23. Is that normal for some move-over theaters? I can't imagine being closed for those days. They are located 30 miles from the closet megaplex.

Yes, I know of several that do just that. They close from just before Christmas and reopen the first Friday AFTER the new year. Some of them are my booking accounts.

I plead, beg and argue with them that they are giving up what could very well be their best week of the year. They don't care. They don't want to work over the holidays or they argue that people are too busy visiting family etc. to go to the movies. They also site the fact that they have no staff as their employees are often away or don't want to work during that period.

Personally in my opinion, if you don't want to be open on or during holiday periods, or run daily matiness during the summer vacation period, you don't belong in the theatre business. When you hire staff, you need to inform them during the initial interview that working holidays is a must or don't take the job.

Scheduling movies for you or your staffs convenience, rather then your patrons is a disservice to them and your community. And those same theatre owners wonder why their local citizens run off to the competition rather then patronize them.

Our two theatres are closed on Christmas Eve (after a matinee this year!) and all day Christmas. We open up again Dec. 26 and someone not being open then sounds plain weird. It reminds me of all the downtown merchants who won't stay open at night past 5:00. Being open when your customers want to visit you is a basic business responsibility. Closing for two weeks or two days during that time would indicate a luxury few businesses enjoy.

Frankly guys I think it's a stupid policy. If I were back in the business today I would open Christmas day and offer free admission as my gift to the community even if I had to pay the distributor out of my own pocket.

I live near this theatre and I think I remember reading in the article about the couple that bought this theatre that she is pregnant and will be giving birth during that time period. Since she is the one who operates the theatre while her husband works full time during the day, they decided to close up during her delivery time. The article can be found in the Kalamazoo Gazette, Sunday November 21, 2010 if my memory serves me.

Hey Mike, We do matinees on Christmas eve and are closed Christmas day till 6. We do evening shows and they have at time blown us away. Everyone is tiered of relatives and want to get out by Christmas night.